Taronga Zoo preserves 100-year-old records with document and records system

The Taronga Conservation Society Australia (TCSA) has selected ELO Digital Office to provide document, records and email management solutions for Taronga and Taronga Western Plains Zoos.

“After an in-depth analysis of the zoo’s requirements it was clear we needed a comprehensive solution to managing the zoo’s electronic and paper assets,” TCSA Records Manager Pamela Burgoyne said.

“We’re dealing with historically significant documents which are sometimes more than 100 years old and need to be preserved for many years to come. In addition, we needed to cater for all of the modern records management requirements of a very public entity.”

The pilot project involved mainly administrative departments such as human resources, and capital works and infrastructure, but also animal collection and research departments. It is anticipated that by the end of 2010, almost 400 zoo staff will be using ELO’s system. Training for staff has already begun.

Burgoyne said: “Once the software was installed, the hard work began. We needed to get the various stakeholders into new processes regarding essentially all business activities. The ELO team created interfaces to ARKS (Animal Records Keeping System), the Zoo’s Active Directory and its legacy records management system (CARMS II).”

Rainer Krause, ELO’s Australian Managing Director, praises the passion of all involved: “It is great to see that ELO can help the zoo staff to focus on their passion to conserve rare animals and precious documents, and streamline internal processes.”